Sulur Air Force Station
Sulur Air Force Station Sulur Vanoorthipadai Nilayam | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Owner | Indian Air Force | ||||||||||
| Operator | Southern Air Command | ||||||||||
| Location | Sulur, Tamil Nadu, India | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,250 ft / 381 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 11°00′49″N 077°09′35″E / 11.01361°N 77.15972°E | ||||||||||
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Sulur Air Force Station is an air base of the Indian Air Force located at Sulur near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. It is operated by the Southern Air Command and is the second largest air base of the Indian Air Force after the Hindon Air Force Station. The base is tasked with protecting the coasts of Southern India. The base is home to the No. 5 Base Repair Depot and No. 43 Wing of the Indian Air Force. It also serves as one of the operating bases of Garud Commando Force, the special forces unit of the Air Force.
The airbase accommodates a fleet of Antonov An-32 transport aircraft, Mil Mi-17 transport helicopters, HAL Dhruv utility helicopters of the Sarang display team, and HAL Tejas fighter aircraft. It is the only air force station in India which hosts fighters, transport planes, helicopters, microlights, and paragliders at a single venue. The base also hosts repair and overhauling depots, maintenance and storage hangars for aircraft, a flying school and a Type Training School (TETTRA) of the Air Force.
The base was established as a transit base for the Allied forces during the Second World War. It was taken over by the Royal Air Force after the war. After Indian Independence, the base was used by the Indian Navy. In 1956, it was taken over by the Indian Air Force.